Builder controlled stop motion for textile machine



Jan. 26, 1960 E. H. GRANBERRY 7 2,922,273

BUILDER CONTROLLED STOP MOTION FOR 'I'EXTILEv MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 23, 1956 SSheets-Sheet 1 2s 3s 3 2a 66 i as F 5 a4 34 I so u Y INVENTOR FIG-1. EDGAR H. GRANBERRY miww ATTORNEYS 1960 E. H. GRANBERRY 2,922,273

BUILDER CONTROLLED STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 23, 1956 s Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR EDGAR H. GRAN BERRY ATTORNEYS 26, 0 E. H. GRANBERRY 2,922,273

BUILDER CONTROLLED STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 23, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 MOTOR STARTER MOTOR CONTROL SWITCR FIG.8.

INVENTOR EDGAR H .GRANBERRY ATTORNEYS 2,922,273 Patented Jan. 26, 1960 BUILDER CONTROLLED STOP MOTIUN FOR TEXTILE MAC Edgar H. Granberry, Shawmut, Ala, assignor to Parks- Cramer Company, Fitchburg, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts '5 Claims. (Cl. 57-79) This invention relates to an improved electrical stop motion for use on roving machines and the like in which a strand of textile material is twisted or wound upon a bobbin by a builder motion. More particularly, the invention is directed to an improved electrical stop motion for a textile machine adapted to be controlled by the builder motion. The present application is a division of my co-pending United States patent application Serial No. 605,783 filed August 23, 1956, now US. Patent No. 2,882,374.

An electrical stop motion is customarily installed in a textile machine having strands of textile material being wound about bobbins to automatically stop the operation of the machine whenever one such strand acquires excessive slack o'r breaks, thus enabling the operator of the machine to quickly correct the slack condition or repair the break in the strand.

Where a strand of textile material from a machine, such as a roving frame, is being wound upon a bobbin by a builder motion, should the machine be stopped during periods of reversal of the vertically reciprocating or traversing bobbin carriage, the strand of textile material is quite likely to run ofi onto one of the tapered cone ends of the material wound on the bobbin. This introduces undesirable slack into the textile material. It also creates a condition which, if the frame is equipped with an automatic stop motion of the above type, could prevent the textile machine from being restarted even though the original condition which caused the stopping of the textile machine had been corrected. Moreover, should the strands of textile material be allowed to run off onto one of the tapered cone ends of the yarn package, loose windings would occur in the package, resulting in an impairment of roving quality. For this reason, it would be desirable to control the electrical stop motion circuit for the textile machine so as to deactivate the same whenever the traversing bobbin carriage is at either end of its traverse.

A primary object of this invention is to provide improvements in an electrical stop motion for a textile machine controlled by the builder motion of such machine,

said stop motion being of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent 2,658,326 issued to Simpson J. Adams on November 10, 1953. My improved stop mo tion includes simplified means actuated by the tumbler shaft of the builder motion to prevent operation of the stop motion during periods of reversal of the traversing carriage.

It is also an object of this invention to provide structure in the builder motion of a textile machine for deactivating the stop motion circuit just prior to periods of reversal of the traversing carriage, thus insuring that the textile machine is not carried by momentum or inertia to an undesired stopping point.

some of the objects of this invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary roving or fly frame showing the builder motion stnlcture embodying the present invention and adapted to control the stop motion;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the frame of Figure 1, taken on the line 2-2 thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic illustration of the builder motion of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the gap gear for the builder motion of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the builder jaws of the builder motion shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the tumbler shaft cam disc of Figure 3, illustrating its relationship to an associated stop motion circuit switch;

Figure 7 corresponds to Figure 6, illustrating however a modification of the cam disc; and

Figure 8 is an exemplary circuit diagram for the textile machine of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings more specifically, and particularly to Figure 1 thereof, reference numeral 20 indicates the frame of a conventional roving or fly frame having the usual draft rolls 22 mounted thereon. From the draft rolls 22, a row of strands 24 extends to one or more rows of flyers 26 to be wound on bobbins 28 in the usual manner. As is conventional, the bobbins 28 are journaled in a vertically reciprocating or traversing carriage 3! A driving spindle 32. extends upwardly to each fiyer 26, passing through the carriage 30 and the associated bobbin 2%, and a hollow spindle -34, coaxial with and enclosing the driving spindle 32, is provided for driving each bobbin 28. The bobbins 28 are reciprocated relative to the flyers 26 by the carriage 30, to wind the strands 24 on the bobbins 28 in successive layers of progressively diminishing length, in the well known manner to produce packages 35 having cone shaped ends 36.

Reciprocation of the carriage 30 is efiected by a builder motion, which includes :a C bracket 38 or the like reciprocable with the carriage 30, and in which is journaled a shaft dtl. The shaft 4%, between the legs of bracket 38, is provided with oppositely threaded sections, whereby the builder jaws 42, 44 may be moved in unison in opposite directions. As will be understood, intermittent rotation of the shaft 4% during the building of packages 35 on the bobbins 28 effects progressive movement of the builder jaws 4'2, 44 toward each other, to progressively decrease the amplitude of the bobbin carriage reciprocation.

Disposed adjacent the shaft 40 is the usual tumbler shaft 46 which carries a builder dog 48 having arms 50, 52 cooperative with the builder jaws 42, 44. At its upper end, the tumbler shaft 46 carries the usual gap gear 54 (Figure 3) adapted to be driven by the bevel gear 56 fixed on the top or upper cone shaft 58 of the machine. The upper cone shaft 58 rotates continuously, and the gap gear 54 is provided with diametrically opposed peripheral gaps 69 therein, alined generally with the builder dog arms Stl, 52 to permit rotation of the upper cone shaft gear 56 while the gap gear 54 remains stationary. As is well known, the tumbler shaft 46 is spring biased to rotate, but is prevented therefrom by engagement of either of the builder dog arms 50, 52 with the cooperative builder jaw 42 or 44. As each builder dog arm rides over the end of the engaged builder jaw, by reason of the reciprocation of the builder jaws, the tumbler shaft 46 is rotated whereby the gap gear 54 is engaged in driving relationship by the gear 56, and thereby rotated through substantially 189, at which point the opposite builder dog arm engages the cooperative builder jaw and precludes further rotation, for the moment, of the tumbler shaft 46. At such time, the bevel gear 56 again rotates free of the gap gear 54, in one of the gaps 60 thereof. Each 180 movement of the tumbler shaft 46, as will be understood, efiects reversal in direction of the carriage 30 and decreases the length of its stroke.

It is desirable to stop the machine in the'event any strand 24- breaks or becomes unduly slack, and for such purpose each strand between the draft rolls 22 and the flyers 26 is normally enclosed by the eye 62 of a drop wire 64, which forms part of an electrical stop motion. Conventional electrical stop motions include an open switch associated with each drop wire, the switches being arranged in parallel, whereby movement of any drop wire from or beyond a predetermined point will close a circuit and thereby effect stoppage of the machine.

In accordance with the disclosure in my co-pending United States patent application Serial No. 605,783 filed August 23, 1956, of which this application is a division, continuous electrical outlet structures may be employed in the stop motion and are arranged transversely of the strand row. As illustrated in Figure 1, a continuous outlet 66 may be mounted on the depending flange 68 of frame 20. i

The switch means 78 associated with the continuous outlet 66 may be of the type disclosed and claimed in my co=pending United States patent application Serial No. 605,783 previously referred to. The switch means 78 is adapted to be conveniently and quickly applied to the continuous outlet 66 at any desired position along its length.

The switch 78 is preferably disposed immediately below the strand with which it will be associated, so that the drop wire 64 connected thereto will normally be maintained in a vertical upwardly extending position by the strand running through its eye 62. When the drop wire 64 is in such a position, as illustrated in Figure 2, the switch 78 is open and the stop motion circuit for the textile machine is not completed. However, when the drop wire 64 is in this vertical upwardly extending position, it is dynamically unstable, and undue slack or breakage of the associated strand will result in the drop wire 64 swinging to either side of its equilibrium or balanced position. Movement of the drop wire 64 from balanced position is effective, as willbe understood, to close the switch 78, thus completing the stop motion circuit. In some cases, it may be desirable to mount each of the switches 78 slightly laterally or to the side of its associated strand so that the drop wire engaging the strand will now be normally disposed in an inclined position when the switch is open. With-this arrangement, the weight of thedrop wire will act continuously to urge the switch to closed position.

The electrical contacts of the continuous outlet 66 preferably are in circuit with a relay adapted to open the power circuit of the machine. As will be understood, the various switches mounted on the continuous outlet 66 are thereby disposed in parallel, so that the closing of any switch.78 will be effective to deactivate the machine.

In roving frames, packages 35 of the type illustrated in Figure 1 are commonly wound with end cones 36 at both ends thereof. It is undesirable that the frame be stopped for any reason when the bobbins 28 are at either end of their traverse, since in such case the strands are prone to run off onto the tapered cone ends, thereby introducing slack and causing loose windings which impair the usefulness of the packages 35. For this reason, it is desirable toinsure that the stop motion circuit is deactivated when the traversing carriage 30 is at either end of its traverse. According to the present invention, this is accomplished by means of 'a switch 126 actuated by the tumbler shaft 46 of the builder mechanism of the machine.

As illustrated in Figures 3. 6 and 7. a cam disc 128 may be fixedly mounted on the tumbler shaft 46, and the switch 126 mounted adjacent the periphery of the cam disc, whereby the switch arm bears thereon. The cam disc 128 may be provided with diametrically opposed recesses 132 and the cam disc is so alined on the tumbler shaft 46 that the switch arm 130 will rest in one or the other of the recesses 132 while the tumbler shaft 46 is at rest, that is while the builder dog 48 is held stationary by the builder jaws 42 and 44. The switch 126 normally is closed, and adapted to be opened by movement of its arm 130 out of a recess 132, whereby the switch 126 will be opened by movement of the tumbler shaft 46 and be maintained open through each period of rotation theref.

As illustrated in Figure 7, the cam disc 128' may be provided with diametrically opposed lobes 134, and the switch 126 normally closed when its arm 130 is engaged by one of said lobes. Rotation of the cam disc 128' will, in such case, move the engaged cam lobe 134 away from the switch arm 130', whereby the switch 126' is permitted to open and remains open until again closed by the opposite lobe 134. The switch-126 may be actuated in other equivalent manner, as by -fiats formed in the tumbler shaft46.

The switch 126, it will be understood, is normally in series with the continuous outlet 66 previously described, that is, in series with the drop wire switches 78. An exemplary circuit diagram is illustrated in Figure 8, wherein 136 represents an electric motor for running the machine. A power source for this motor is indicated at 138, and a conventional motor starter 140 and motor control switch 142 may be arranged in the circuit for the motor 136. Suitably connected (as shown) in the power circuit for'the motor 136 are a relay 144 and a normally closed switch 146, the latter being adapted to be opened by energization of a relay in the stop motion circuit. The relay 144 is a time delay relay, preferably an Agastat Model NE-l 1, and is adapted to deactivate the stop motion circuit for a predetermined period of time after the motor 136 is started, for a purpose to be explained hereinbelow.

The stop motion circuit may receive its power from a suitable transformer 148, and the switches 78, 126 are arranged in series in this circuit as shown. The stop motion circuit includes the relay 150 for opening the switch 146 in the main power circuit to stop the machine when both the switches 78 and 126 are closed. Also arranged in the stop motion circuit, in parallel branches as shown,

' are a signal lamp 152 and a relay 154. The time delay relay 1440f the main power circuit normally closes a first switch 156 in the branch of the stop circuit for relay 154, and it also closes a second switch 158 in the branch of the stop circuit which includes the relay 150, the latter branch being connected to the branch containingrelay 154 in the manner illustrated. Relay 154, preferably an electrically small, fast operating relay, closes a switch 160 for energizing'the relay 150 to stop the motor 136 and therefore the machine, whenever switches 78, 126 are closed. It will be noted, however, that when switch 126 is opened at either end of the traverse of carriage 30, that is during reversing periods, the stop motion circuit will be deactivated or rendered inoperative, so that if one of the switches 78 is closed during such times due to slack in its associated strand, the motor 136 will continue to run, and the machine will not be stopped until switch 126 is closed, this occurring on termination of the reversing period.

Switch 126 may be arranged in the branch of the stop circuit containing the relay 1'50 and the switch 158 by disposing this switch 126 between relay 150 and switch 158. By reason of this disposition of switch 126, lamp 152 will burn as soon as 'one of the switches 78 is closed, however, the machine will not stop unless switch 126 is closed. Consequently, if a strand becomes slackened to close its associated switch 78 during those periods when switch 126 is open, that is, slightly before and during each reversing period of carriage 30, lamp 152 will burn but relay 150 will not be energized to stop the machine until the reversing period has terminated and switch 126 has been close'd. Thus, an indication of slack or breakage in a strand may be immediately given to the operator under all circumstances.

If desired, a suitable temperature responsive overload switch (not shown) may be provided in the stop motion circuit for energizing the relay 150 to stop the machine in the event of an overload on the transformer 148.

As will be understood, should any one of the normally open switches 78 be closed in the manner described between reversing periods, relay 154 will be immediately energized, causing the main power circuit relay 156 to be energized and open switch 146, whereby the power circuit for motor 136 will be opened and the machine will stop. At the same time, the time delay relay 144 in the main power circuit will be deenergized to open switches 156, 15% thereby deenergizing relays 150, 154 but not interfering with the branch circuit through signal lamp 152. By virtue of this arrangement, the signal lamp 152 will remain burning so long as switches 78, i126 are closed to provide a visual indication of machine stoppage, while, as is evident, the main power circuit relay 150 will be deenergized shortly after the machine has been stopped to reclose switch 146. As is well understood, the motor 136 will not be restarted by this closing of switch 146 since the motor control switch 142 again has to be closed before the motor circuit will be closed.

In restarting the machine after stoppage due to slack in one or more of the strands, the defective strand is first repaired or corrected, and the motor control switch is closed to close the power circuit for motor 136. The time delay relay 144 keeps the contacts 156, 158 opened for a short period of time after the motor 136 has been restarted, for example seconds, to enable any slack remaining in the repaired strand to be taken up by its associated bobbin to open the involved switch 73 before the operation of the machine is brought under the control of the stop motion circuit.-

-It has been found in practice that if one of the strands becomes slack a short time prior to either end of the traverse of carriage 30 and stops the machine at this time, the inertia or the momentum of the builder motion might be sufficiently large to drive the carriage 30 to the end of its traverse. Should this occur, the danger of the strands 24 running over the tapered package ends 36 is again presented. To avoid such possibility, the invention further contemplates the provision of means for opening the switch 126- to deactivate the stop motion circuit a short time prior to the reversal of the carriage 30. A preferred form of such means is illustrated in Figures 3 and 5, and includes notches or recesses 162 constructed in the extreme opposed ends of the builder jaws 42, 44. These notches 162 are arranged in the surfaces of the jaws which are engaged by the outer ends of the builder dog arms 50, 52 and these notches are sufficiently large to permit a respective builder dog arm to move into a notch a short time before the builder dog arm rides completely over its associated builder jaw to reverse the carriage movement. The tumbler shaft 46, therefore, will be permitted a slight rotation immediately before the ends of the carriage traverse, to cause a corresponding movement of the cam disc 123 whereby the switch 126 will be opened and remain in an opened position until the tumbler shaft 46 rotates approximately 180, at which time the opposite builder dog arm will strike the adjacent builder jaw to prevent further rotation of the tumbler shaft. In this connection, it will be observed that the' builder dog arms 50, 52 are respectively provided with free outer ends 51, 53 extending in opposite axial directions at right angles to the arms, whereby after each 180 rotation of the tumbler shaft 46 one of these free ends will strike the flat,

unnotched portion of the builder jaw to dispose switch arm in a cam disc recess 132 for closing switch- 126. Additionally, since the base 45 of the lower builder jaw 44 is larger than the base 43 of the upper jaw 42 (see Figure 3) is should be evident that the notch 162 in the lower jaw will be of greater horizontal dimension than the notch of the upper jaw to allow the desired slight rotation of the tumbler shaft 46 when a builder dog arm rides off the jaw 44.

If desired, the notches 162 may be omitted from the builder jaws, and the builder dog arms '50, '52 may be formed with similarly functioning notches or recesses 164. Such notches may be arranged at the extreme outer ends of the builder dog arms on opposite radial surfaces thereof, as seen in Figure 3. Once again, the notch 164 on the builder dog arm which rides over the end of the jaw 44 is made larger than the notch in the other arm due to the larger base of jaw 44. It will be understood, that by varying the vertical dimension of the notches 162 or 164, whichever the case may be,

the time in advance of the reversing periods, at which switch .126 will open, may be varied.

Inasmuch as the gaps 60 in the gap gear 54 on the tumbler shaft 46 are normally of such size that rotation of the tumbler shaft 46 will cause a section of gearing on gear '54 to be brought into engagement with the cone shaped bevel gear 56, these gaps 60 may have to be circumferentially enlarged to permit slight rotation of tumbler shaft 46 immediately before the ends of the carriage traverse without effecting a driving engagement between gears '56 and 54. This is due to the fact that one of the builder dog arms will still be in engagement with a builder jaw for a short period of time after such slight rotation of the tumbler shaft 46 to resist further rotation thereof during this short interval. This enlarging of gaps 60 is readily accomplished, when necessary, by removing one or more teeth from each gear section of the gap gear 54.

There has been disclosed an improved builder-controlled electrical stop motion for a textile machine, wherein the builder motion structure is so constructed as to deactivate the stop motion circuit just prior to the reversal of the traversing bobbin carriage when it has completed either end of its stroke for preventing the momentum or inertia of the textile machine from moving the carriage to an undesired stopping point.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a structure in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, together with many practical advantages, are successfully achieved. As various possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features 'of the above invention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In combination with a textile machine having a builder motion including traversing builder jaws and a tumbler shaft carrying a builder dog cooperative with said jaws, a power circuit for said machine, and a stop motion comprising means for opening said power circuit, said means including a stop circuit having a normally open switch and a normally closed switch in series therein, means for closing said normally open switch upon the occurrence of slack in a textile strand, means associated with said tumbler shaft for opening said normally closed switch during periods of reversal of said builder motion, and means for effecting limited rotation of said tumbler shaft shortly prior to each period of reversal of said builder motion, whereby said normally closed switch is open prior to each period of reversal.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said means for effecting limited rotation of said tumbler shaft comprises notches formed in at least one of the engaging surfaces of said builder jaws and said builder dog.

3. The oombination of claim 1, wherein said means for effecting limited rotation of said tumbler shaft compn'ses notches formed at the ends of said builder jaws in the path of said builder dog.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said means for effecting limited rotation of said tumbler shaft comprises notches formed at the ends of said builder dog.

5. In combination with a textile machine having a builder motion including traversing builder jaws and a tumbler shaft carryj'jlg a builder dog cooperative with said jaws, a power circuit for said machine, and a stop motion comprising means for opening said power circuit, said means including a stop circuit having a normally References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Adams Nov. 10, 1953. 

